INFLUENCE oN SEED PELLETING oN SEED YIELD AND QUALITY .

DEEPIkA.CPALB 2272

INTRODUCTION

In Agriculture, horticulture to achieve a desired plant populationand a high probability of successful establishment of each seedplanted for this precision planting is advocated.

Most essential phase of planting - singulating of the seed forexact placement at a predetermined depth and spacing in the soilwith a uniform coverage and at a reasonable planting speed.

In India, practicing of seed pelleting is limited, neithercommercial nor government seed organization has realized itsimportance where as, in developed countries, it is very commonand most of the seeds are sold with coating only.

Characteristics of pelleting materials

1. The pelleting material should be porous to allow movement ofoxygen to the living seed.

2. The pelleting material should be weakened or breakdown whenit comes in contact with the soil moisture to prevent anyphysical impedance (resistance)to the seed germination.

3. Seed pelleting material should not be toxic to the seeds.4. It must be possible to apply the coating on commercial basis.5. It should match with environment in an eco-friendly way.6. It should not degrade easily when exposed to high

temperature and relative humidity during storage.7. It should form little hard film after pelleting

Seed pelleting

Seed pelleting is the process of adding inert materials to seeds to change their size and shape for improved plant ability.

Many seeds, particularly vegetable seeds are not uniformlyround, which hinders precision planting for optimum crop yields.

In other case seeds are small and light that their accurateplacement an or on the soil.

To facilitate the free flow of these seeds in the planters, manyseeds provided coating materials that change the shape and sizeof the seed so that it becomes heavier and rounder.

A seed pellet is characterized by its ability to obscure theshape of the encased seed.

What kind of seeds are pelleted?

Seeds of various sizes are commercially pelleted, from relatively large seeds like onion and tomato to very small seeds like lettuce species.

For onion, the seed can increase in weight 6-fold due to pelleting; there are approximately 230 raw seeds per gram, and after pelleting the diameter may be 13.5/64th of an inch (0.54cm).

The volume for 1000 propagules is 3.7 cm³ for raw seed compared to 18.0 cm³ after pelleting.

The smallest seed that Seed Dynamics pellets is Begonia. Medium seed weight for raw begonia is 88,000 seeds per gram.

After pelleting, the seed count can average 857 seeds per gram, an increased mass of over 100-fold.

What does this have to do with a seed pellet?

Consumers Demand Attractive, Uniform, and Fresh Vegetables

A grower may have a very high yield in a particular field, but not be able to sell a high percent of the crop.

Vegetables must meet the standards required by the industry, and demanded by consumers across the country. A uniform, nicely shaped product is usually a must.

To get the highest percentage of your crop to meet these standards, precisely planting seed in the soil with the desired amount of space between each seed is critical.

Seed pelleting can increase the likelihood that the seed will be placed in the soil with the most precision and accuracy possible.

Seed pelleting also serves as a mechanism of applying neededmaterials in such a way that they affect the seed or soil atthe seed soil interface.

Adhesive materials

Filler materials

Beneficial materials

Adhesive materials

The materials used for coating should be perfect as the typeof the adhesive decide the physical integrity of coating andthis was highly influencing during handling, transport andplanting operation of the pellet.

The adhesive recommended are:

1. Gum arabic2. Methyl cellulose 3. Gelatin 4. Methyl ethyl cellulose5. Rice gruel 6. Maida gruel 7. Starch gruel

In selection of these adhesive, the concentration of the adhesiveis important for the development of required viscosity which canfix the material in efficient manner without breaking and dustingon shade drying.

In this method, seed is placed in a large rolling pan . The pan is continuously turning and tumbling the seed during this process.

The pelleted sprays water until the seed surface is wet.

After that, he sprinkles the pelleting powder over the wet, tumbling seed.

The powder sticks to the wet seed. The pelleter then sprays adhesive until the seed and powder is again wet. Then more powder, then more adhesive, then powder, then adhesive etc.

During the process the pellets are removed from the rolling pan several times in order to run them over a sizing screen so that smaller pellets can be built up, while any larger pellets wait outside the pan.

This is done until all pellets are exactly the same standard size. Knowing when and how much adhesive to add, and when and how much powder to add is an art that takes some time and practice to perfect.

For example, if you get the seed too wet in the beginning the seed sticks to each other and you get two seeds per pellet. Not enough adhesive makes for a pellet that is too soft.

Several companies are starting to use machinery that is more mechanized, using less art, but the method described is still the most common pelleting method used in the industry today.

Selection of adhesive is also based on selective purposes

Plastic resins , polyvinyl acetate and insoluble

polyelectrolyte complex

Used to bind pesticide to seeds

Polyethylene oxides To prevent erosion of sown seeds

Polyurethane To bind lime in a way that resist coat abrasion

Polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate

To bind vermiculite

Polyelectrolytes To aggregate soil around the seeds

Filler materials

Characteristics of filler material

1.It should be non toxic.2.Eco-Friendly to both seed , adhesive and environment. 3.Easily soluble in water when contact with soil moisture.

4.Low cost

The most common materials used are lime, gypsum, clay,limestone, talc, vermiculite, bentonite, cellulose, calomel andpoultry manure.

For low cost investment and environment benefit botanicalleaf powder are used as filler materials.

The botanics used for pelleting

Arappu ( Albizzia amara)

Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata)

Notchi (Vitex nigundo)

Prosopis (Prosopis juliflora)

Neem (Azadirachta indica)

Moringa (Moringa pterygosperma )

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica )

These botanics are recommended @ 200 – 300 g / kg ofseed. The fineness of the powder should be in such a waythat it passes through muslin cloth.

Inoculants pelleting – Rhizobia, Azospirillum, Azotobacter

Protective pelleting – Bacillus spp, Streptomyces spp,Antibiotics

Herbicide pelleting – Antidote like 1, 8 napthalic anhydride

Nutrient pelleting – Micronutrients and macronutrient

BOTANICAL SEED PELLETING IN GREENGRAM

MethodologyTake the seeds in plastic trayAdd a small quantity ofadhesive (10% Maida solution) tothe seedsShake gently, in such a way theadhesive spreads evenly on partsof each seed .Add filler material(Arappu leaf powder) evenly overthe seeds and continue shakinguntil the uniform coating isensured.Separate the seed dumps if anyRemove the excess filler materialby sieving.Dry under shade to expelmoisture.

PELLETING POWDER FEEDERS DRYING CARRIERS FOR PELLETS

PELLETING MACHINEThe pelleting drums are used for making seed pellets. With the seeds, powders and liquid, according to a certain procedure, seed pellets can be made.

Process of pelleting

The three basic steps involved in pelleting are stated as1. Stamping,2. Coating and3. Rolling. The materials needed for pelleting are seed, adhesive and filler

materials.

The seeds are uniformly coated with adhesive in correctquantity initially.

Then the filler materials are sprinkled on the coated seeds andare rolled on the filler material for effective and uniformcoating.

Rotary Coaters:

Josep Trias has been a pioneer in the seed coating industry for over 25 years. He is involved in the development of coating materials for use with standard and rotary pelleting technology as well as new "seed processing" and priming technologies. Willem van Lith has also been involved in the seed coating industry for more than 20 years.

rotary pelleting

The coating chamber has optimal access and flow of product.

Seed pelleting machine

Coating pans

Procedure of seed pelleting

The seeds are introduced into a coating drum or pan thatresembles a cement mixer.

As the drum rotates, the seeds are first sprayed with waterfollowed by the addition of the filler with adhesives.

The wet seed attracts and becomes coated with dry filler andthey gradually increase in size with each turn of the coatingdrum.

Longer rotation times with greater amounts of filler leadto a greater pellet sizes and roundness.

At the end of pelleting process, a binder is added toharden the outer layer of pellet.this also reduces theamount of dust produced during handling shipping andplanting.

After pelleting is complete the pelleted seeds are dried.

For INCrEASED EFFICIENCY

Excessive adhesive should not be added. It may lead toclogging of seeds.

The adhesive should be with required viscosity otherwise thecoating would be imperfect.

The filler material used should be spread in this layer of fillermaterial otherwise more seed will be there in a single pellet .it will also bring the pellet a uniform size .

Advantages of pelleting

1. It regulates the size of seeds for precision planting by machineand hand.

2. It reduces the amount of seeds required to plant and cuts thework of thinning of the crop.

3. Supply of growth regulators.4. Pelleting of irregular shaped seeds is favorable because of their

uniform size makes easy to handle.5. Increased oxygen penetration/availability.

6. Wider pellet density range allowing more accurate spacing of seed in a wide range of planting conditions.

7. Pellet loading.

8. Better field visibility.

INCREASED OXYGEN PENETRATIONSooter and Miller (1978) found thatcommon pelleting materials like silicacan extract dissolved oxygen fromwater as the liquid moves through thepellet.

Increased oxygen supply forpelleted seed, especially in over-saturated soil conditions, has beenachieved through the use of oxygen-donating chemicals (Sladdin and Lynch,1983) and the development ofsplitting-pellet technology.

Seed pelleting and pellet improvements

Split-pellet technology for increased oxygen penetration

Historically, the primary obstacle for pellet use has been slow and erratic emergence associated with insufficient oxygen supply to the seed.

The development of a splitting pellet like our High-Density, Medium-Density or Light-Density lettuce pellets are especially beneficial to growers that plant lettuce under saturated soil-water conditions caused by irrigation after sowing.

A pellet that can split open upon hydration allows oxygenated water to move directly to the seed.

Pelleted seeds

Seed coating of maize

Pelleting of lettuce seed

SIZING MACHINE FOR WET PELLETS SIZING MACHINE FOR DRY PELLETS

Disadvantages of pelleting

Pelleted seeds cost more and have more weight than ordinaryseeds.

In small seeds, a piece of inert matter may form as a pelletwithout seed while some pellets contain more than one seed.

More moisture is required to germinate pelleted seeds. Verydifficult to access the purity of pelleted seeds. Testing has tobe done after removing the pelleted materials.

Trained persons are required to carry out pelleting operation.Pelleting process requires more labour.

If pelleting material is hard may be difficult for radicleemergence through pelleted material.

The pellet may act as barrier to oxygen diffusion thusaffecting germination.

TABLE 1: effect of fortification and pelleting on crop growth parameters in cowpea

Treatments FE (%) Pods / plant PL (cm)

Control 85 11.0 15.9

Fortified with micronutrients

86 11.6 16.2

Pelleted with micronutrients 87 11.8 16.4

Fortified with micronutrients +

Pelleted with micronutrients

86 12.1 16.5

S.Ed± 0.006 0.09 0.05

CD (0.05) NS 0.21 0.12

Ponnuswamy vijaya(1997)

pelleted with Micronutrients are influences the vigour and yield parameters in cowpea compare to others

TABLE 2: seed yield per plant (g) as influenced by graded seed and pelleting treatment in French bean . Pelleting treatment Plant height

(cm)No. of branch/pl

ant

No. of flowers/ plant

No. of pods / plant

Seed yield (q/ha)

Control 27.58 4.51 20.04 16.33 23.35

DAP + Kaolin (K) 27.13 3.62 17.09 13.15 6.29

Micronutrient+ K 23.75 4.17 18.44 15.09 12.96

Albizzia leaf powder (ALP)

28.29 4.62 22.93 18.31 24.15

Pongamia(PLP) 28.31 4.60 22.04 17.67 22.44

Rhizibium phaseoli(Rhi)

30.60 5.29 26.11 19.81 28.47

DAP+M+ ALP 20.78 3.71 15.84 12.80 7.89

DAP +M+ ALP + Rhi 23.78 3.78 17.73 14.51 10.89

DAP +M+ ALP + Rhi +PLP

24.27 3.87 18.64 15.08 11.46

Mean 24.43 4.22 19.87 15.86 16.46

kempegowda (2002)

Rhizibium pelleting treatment influence the nitrogen fixation in French bean as a result improves the growth and yield parameters compare to others.

Table : 3 Initial quality parameters of pelleting of soybean KB-79

Treatments Germination %

Root length(cm)

Shoot length(cm)

Vigour index

P1 (control) 82.2 17.73 20.48 3110

P2(seed pelleted with DAP 3 g + Neem kernel powder 2g/kg of seed)

85.0 19.29 21.63 3435

P3(seed pelleted with Znso4 0.3g + Neem kernel powder 2g/kg)

87.8 21.36 22.54 3764

P4(seed pelleted with borax 0.1g +Neem kernel powder 2g /kg of seed )

84.2 18.45 19.64 3207

SEm ± 0.912 0.440 2.507 42.2

CD 5% 2.99 1.23 0.77 130

Ramesh ,K.C. 2002

Bangalore

(P3 treatment )Seeds pelleted with micronutrient and botanicals ensures the germination as a result to increase the root length , shoot length, vigour index.

Table :4 Germination % as influenced by pelleting in okra

0 2 4 6 8 10 12BindersA1(Gum Arabic) 82 78 77 75 72 68 64A2 (polyvinyl acetate)

83 81 78 76 73 68 65

C D.5% NS 1.55 NS NS NS NS NSpelleting

P1(Clay) 84 80 79 77 74 69 66P2(Sand) 83 79 76 75 72 68 64P3(Bentonite) 82 79 76 74 72 68 63P4(P1+P2+P3) 83 80 79 76 73 68 65CD 5% NS NS NS NS NS NS NS

treatments Storage periods(months)

Balaramu, T. K 2007

Bangalore

Polyvinyl acetate and combination of Seed Pelleting with clay materials helps to cover seed and restrict the entry of pathogens ,thus maintains the cell membrane integrity. As result more the root length , germination %, shoot length, vigour . Field emergence.

Table : 5 Seedling vigour index as influenced by pelleting in okra

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Binders

A1(Gum Arabic) 1324 1178 1095 1022 918 785 704

A2 (polyvinyl acetate) 1348 1221 1123 1041 930 797 713

C D.5% NS 30.05 NS NS NS NS NSpelleting

P1(Clay) 1360 1230 1167 1100 997 818 748P2(Sand) 1349 1183 1080 1024 899 781 698

P3(Bentonite) 1294 1176 1070 963 885 777 678

P4(P1+P2+P3) 1341 1208 1119 1037 915 790 711

CD 5% 48.04 NS 49.64 39.36 42.50 31.24 33.17

treatments Storage periods(months)

Balaramu, T. K 2007

Bangalore

Table : 6 Field emergence % as influenced by pelleting in okra

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Binders

A1(Gum Arabic) 65 63 60 58 56 51 49A2 (polyvinyl acetate) 67 63 61 59 57 52 50C D.5% 1.18 NS NS NS NS NS NSpelleting

P1(Clay) 68 65 62 59 57 53 51P2(Sand) 64 62 61 58 55 51 49P3(Bentonite) 65 62 60 57 55 52 49P4(P1+P2+P3) 67 63 60 59 56 52 49CD 5% 1.67 1.91 NS NS NS NS NS

treatments Storage periods(months)

Balaramu, T. K 2007

Bangalore

Table : 7 Root length (cm) as influenced by pelleting in okra

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Binders

A1(Gum Arabic) 9.24 8.88 7.06 6.40 5.96 4.88 3.90A2 (polyvinyl acetate) 9.43 8.94 7.10 6.43 5.99 4.90 3.94

C D.5% 0.04 NS NS NS NS NS NS

pelleting

P1(Clay) 9.43 9.03 7.26 6.52 6.09 5.01 4.01

P2(Sand) 9.30 8.89 7.01 6.35 5.93 4.84 3.88

P3(Bentonite) 9.23 8.82 6.97 6.33 5.88 4.82 3.87

P4(P1+P2+P3) 9.38 8.91 7.07 6.46 5.99 4.90 3.92

CD 5% 0.06 NS NS NS NS NS NS

treatments Storage periods(months)

Balaramu, T. K 2007

Bangalore

Table : 8 Electrical conductivity(dSm-1)as influenced by pelleting in okra

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

BindersA1(Gum Arabic) 160 166 174 197 221 244 262

A2 (polyvinyl acetate) 158 164 173 195 219 242 260

C D.5% 2.00 NS NS NS NS NS NS

pelletingP1(Clay) 157 163 170 193 217 240 257

P2(Sand) 160 166 174 197 221 244 262

P3(Bentonite) 160 168 176 198 222 245 263

P4(P1+P2+P3) 158 164 174 196 219 243 261

CD 5% NS 3.62 3.55 NS NS NS NS

Storage periods(months)treatments

Balaramu, T. K 2007

Bangalore

Polyvinyl acetate and clay maintains the EC at the end of 12 months period s . Because Leach ate is less influences the good quality of seeds.

Table : 9 Effect of pelleting treatments on yield attributes in soybean cv.KB-79

Treatments No. of pods/plant

No of seeds /plant

Seed yield (g)/plant

Seed yield (kg)/plant

Seed yield kg /ha

P1 (control) 46.36 71.76 7.32 1.830 1464

P2(seed pelleted with DAP 3 g + Neem kernel powder 2g/kg of seed)

53.80 85.32 9.54 2.386 1908

P3(seed pelleted with Znso4 0.3g + Neem kernel powder 2g/kg)

66.80 100.12 11.88 2.722 2177

P4(seed pelleted with borax 0.1g +Neem kernel powder 2g /kg of seed )

47.52 81.64 8.46 2.118 1694

SEm ± 3.00 7.41 0.656 180.6 144.4

CD 5% 9.25 22.8 2.02 5.56 4.45

Ramesh ,K.C. 2002

Bangalore

Seeds pelleted with micronutrient and botanicals improves supply of nutrients and metabolic activity helps to increases the yield parameters compare to others.

Table :10 . Effect pelleting materials , stickers on number of fruits per plant in vegetable

Pelleting materials Sugar Methylcellulose

Mean

Sand 24.00 20.33 22.16

Clay 21.66 19.00 20.33

Charcoal 23.66 30.33 27.00

Sand +clay 22.00 21.66 21.83

Sand +charcoal 28.00 32.00 30.00

Clay + charcoal 22.00 22.33 22.16

control 24.00 24.10 24.05

stickers

Krishnappa,V. 1985 (uas b)Significant differences were noticed in fruits per plant as influenced by the different pelleting material not due stickers.

Table :11 . Effect of pelleting materials , stickers on the weight of fruit(yield in kg) / plant in vegetable.

Pelleting materials Sugar Methylcellulose

Mean

Sand 1.16 1.06 1.11Clay 1.00 0.93 0.96Charcoal 1.06 1.46 1.26Sand +clay 1.03 0.96 1.00Sand +charcoal 1.10 1.40 1.25Clay + charcoal 1.03 1.10 1.06control 1.16 1.18 1.17

stickers

Krishnappa,V. 1985 (uas b)Significant differences were noticed in fruits per plant in kg as influenced by the different pelleting material not due stickers.

Table 12. Effect of seed pelleting with micronutrients and leaf powder on yield and its components of cowpea

Treatments (S) Pod length(cm)

Pod girth (cm)

Number of pods / plant

No of seeds/ pod

Pod weight(g)

S1(ZnSO4 @ 250 mg / kg of seed) 17.52 1.65 27.92 12.33 1.75

S2(Borax @ 100 mg / kg of seeds) 17.60 1.81 29.10 12.49 1.84

S3(Arappu leaf powder @ 250 g/kg of seeds)

18.18 1.81 29.80 12.37 1.79

S4(S1 + S2) 18.39 1.79 22.30 12.25 1.68

S5(S1 + S3) 17.87 1.98 24.01 11.84 1.63

S6(S2 + S3) 17.26 1.76 22.80 11.80 1.63

S7(S1 + S2 + S3) 17.09 1.81 22.65 11.73 1.72

S0(Control (without pelleting) 16.85 1.54 18.57 10.94 1.55

CD at 5% 0.60 0.06 2.15 0.69 0.09

Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22(4) : (898-900) 2009

DILEEPKUMAR A. MASUTHI . et al This may be due to the increased accumulation of carbohydrate by boron and increased in the uniform size of seed.

Table 13. Effect of seed pelleting with micronutrients and leaf powder on yield and its components of cowpea

Treatments (S) Pod yield/ha (kg)

Seed yield/plant (g)

Seed yield /ha (kg)

S1(ZnSO4 @ 250 mg / kg of seed) 1856.0 30.91 1478.6

S2(Borax @ 100 mg / kg of seeds) 1863.7 31.80 1536.3

S3(Arappu leaf powder @ 250 g/kg of seeds) 1846.3 31.68 1529.3

S4(S1 + S2) 1700.0 25.04 1370.0

S5(S1 + S3) 1604.0 26.84 1347.7

S6(S2 + S3) 1572.7 26.29 1258.7

S7(S1 + S2 + S3) 1553.3 26.79 1240.3

S0(Control (without pelleting) 1380.3 18.51 1119.3

CD at 5% 6.41 2.16 3.40

DILEEPKUMAR A. MASUTHI . et al

Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22(4) : (898-900) 2009

The increase in the yield components may be due to boron, which concerned with sugar translocation from complex compounds like carbohydrates and translocated them at greater . Boron plays a greater role in nitrogen based synthesis or utilization and involved in RNA metabolism which helped in protein synthesis. .

Table 14. Effect of seed pelleting with micronutrients and leaf powder on seed quality parameters of cowpea

Treatments (S) Root length(cm)

Shoot length(cm)

Seedlingvigour index

EC(dSm-1)

S1(ZnSO4 @ 250 mg / kg of seed) 18.51 24.92 4277 1.01

S2(Borax @ 100 mg / kg of seeds) 17.01 26.31 4269 1.09

S3(Arappu leaf powder @ 250 g/kg of seeds)

16.70 26.12 4208 1.10

S4(S1 + S2) 15.17 25.58 4004 1.16

S5(S1 + S3) 17.10 24.89 4103 1.20

S6(S2 + S3) 15.70 25.68 4069 1.07

S7(S1 + S2 + S3) 16.71 25.24 4088 1.09

S0(Control (without pelleting) 14.51 23.83 3735 1.37

CD at 5% 2.25 1.89 3.39 0.05

DILEEPKUMAR A. MASUTHI . et al

Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22(4) : (898-900) 2009

The improvement in root and shoot length of seedling due to ZnSO4 treatment might probably due to enhanced metabolic activity, earliness in germination and seedling growth.

Table 15 : Influence of seed dressing chemicals on moisture content (%) of pelleted tomato seed during storage.

M. S. Shashibhaskar et al.

Treatment Months of storage

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Seed dressing chemicals (T)T1 6.20 6.25 6.33 6.39 6.45 6.54 6.62 6.75 6.84 7.02T2 6.23 6.28 6.36 6.41 6.49 6.58 6.67 6.77 6.91 7.05T3 6.21 6.27 6.34 6.40 6.47 6.55 6.66 6.76 6.86 7.04T4 6.26 6.30 6.42 6.43 6.58 6.62 6.69 6.82 6.97 7.10T5 6.24 6.33 6.37 6.42 6.53 6.60 6.68 6.79 6.92 7.08T6 6.27 6.35 6.43 6.45 6.61 6.67 6.84 6.87 7.01 7.14

S.Em± 0.017 0.003 0.010 0.011 0.012 0.010 0.015 0.008 0.010 0.005

CD (5%) 0.048 0.010 0.029 0.031 0.035 0.029 0.043 0.022 0.029 0.015

Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22 (5) (1097-1103) : 2009

T1 - Carbendazim @ 2 g/kg T2 - Neem leaf powder @ 10 g/kgT3 - CaOCl2 @ 3 g/kgT4 - ZnSO4 @ 300 mg/kgT5 - Trichoderma viridae @ 4 g/kgT6 - Control (unpelleted seeds)

Table 16 : Influence of seed dressing chemicals on dehydrogenase activity and electrical conductivity (dS/m) of pelleted tomato seeds cv. PKM-1 during storage.

M. S. Shashibhaskar et al.

Treatment Dehydrogenase activity Electrical conductivity (dS/m)Months of storage

2 4 6 8 10 2 4 6 8 10Seed dressing chemicals (T)T1 0.721 0.645 0.523 0.334 0.254 0.393 0.403 0.429 0.464 0.487T2 0.658 0.526 0.345 0.237 0.168 0.423 0.434 0.455 0.489 0.514T3 0.695 0.593 0.488 0.284 0.209 0.405 0.417 0.447 0.477 0.499T4 0.632 0.496 0.348 0.214 0.135 0.483 0.498 0.524 0.558 0.582T5 0.640 0.507 0.369 0.238 0.155 0.453 0.465 0.490 0.520 0.544T6 0.615 0.483 0.308 0.186 0.118 0.507 0.515 0.542 0.576 0.615S.Em± 0.002 0.002 0.004 0.002 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.003 0.002 0.003CD (5%) 0.007 0.006 0.012 0.007 0.006 0.006 0.004 0.008 0.006 0.009

Karnataka J. Agric. Sci., 22 (5) (1097-1103) : 2009

Seed infection by pathogen (0.00%) at the end of 10 months of storage. This might be due to antifungal effect of carbendazim.

conclusion

1. Seed pelleting is very much useful for precision sowing in cropslike Solanaceous vegetables, medicinal and field crops.

2. It will be helpful to overcome nutrient deficiency.3. It is more beneficial in smaller seeds as singling resulted through

pelleting helps in reducing the cost and wastage of seeds.4. It also reduces the problem of thinning and gap filling.5. In bigger seeds it is for addition of required beneficiary

substances to the seed based on demand and requirement.